Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-01-13
4GREiTPROBIEH.

| IhOSe who close their eyes 10 tne Import
ance Of labor movements in this country,
are fooliShly and persistently blind. Labor
movements are mp, and they will not down,
at bidding. They have elements that force
themselves upon the consideration of all
citizens, and although large masses are not
personally, or in business way, involved
or concerned, no man in the country is un-
affected by them. The labor problem is
one that is working itself out, for il is not
a thing that is to be finally settled by any
one or more organizations. All Organiza-
tions and all individuals connected with
railways, telegraph lines, machine shops,
| factories, trading establishments, and all
industrial concerns, are likely in some one
way or other. to contribute TO the final eff
fective and complete solution, which may
be reached zen years hence and may not be
reached for a century.
Such time as this-when there is no
public excitement and men are in condi-
tion 10 think calmly and to use their rea-
souing powers to advantages Just the
time to consider the great problem in all
its phases-politicsl. social, industrial. Ct
cctcTd.
The best element of solution is that which
develops in friendly and cooperative action
of employer and men in the work shops.
That il direct and immediate in its results.
The manufacturer confers with his men,
freely. frankly and in a truly fraternsl
spirit. concerning mutual interests - for
they form the only safe basis of negotiation.
The manufacturer must not look solely to
his intereSt-nOr the emplOye solely 10 his.
Each must confer with the other in an effort
to discover common basis of proceeding
which is likely TO promote the welfare of
both. The men IN the management Of any
kind of a business concern ought 10 have
for their best friends their associates who
do the mental or manual labor required.
Every man connected with a workshop in
any capacity ought TO be stout friend of the
concern and of every man In IT, This would
give spirit of the army which would
prove an element of great strength. A
great deal of this sort Of thing can be seen
in Springfield factories and we believe la
Dor problems ind better practical solution
here than elsewhere. We have no strikes
and no public disturbance. The person and
prop rty of the individual are protected.
The masses of our workingmen are good,
law-abiding. patriotic citizens, and our man.
ufacturerS as a class ara men of heart as
well as brain and enterprise.
What is to be the outcome of organized
labor movements, is yet to be seen. These
are elements in the general solution of the
great problem. II now seems to he pretty
well settled that all wOrkingmen cannot be
induced or forced to join any one OrganiZs-
ton. The Trades Assemblies will not join
the Knights of Labor and the Knights will
not join the Trades Assemblies. Neither
organization is likely to absorb the other.
Ii is quite possible that it is better for the
country that there should be two
or more labor organizations than
one for each has its peculiar
features. and only the best of these feat
ures will survive. So far as the Knights
follow the line of negotiation, arbitration
and efforts to keep the peace between cap
ital and labor. and do what they can TO dis
courage and put down lawlessness and an
archy. so far will they commend themselves
to the country and will be sustained BY that
greatest of forces, under a free government,
Public Opinion. But any organization
which even allows interference with indi-
vidual rights or the destruction of property,
will fly in the face of all right public senti-
ment and will but breed in itself the ele-
ments of dissolution. This is fact which
is as solid as the eternal hills.
Things are working" Both employers
and their men. with all these graphic object
lessons before them. and with all their ex
perienceS. will. sooner or later, fud ont
what i most to their interest, and they will
discover that what is TO their highest in
teresi WILDE quite aud comprehensively to
the interest of the community.